Vegetable harvester



4Jan.k 14, 1941. l MfEvELr-:vY

VEGETABLE HARVESTER 2 Shets-Sheet l Filed Jan. 15, 194C g v I v INVENTOR fw/JM TW E' @mi M *@f Patented Jan.14, 1941 L ,y 2,228,442@

UNITED STATES PATENT ,OFFICEv t' `2,228,447 Y I t *vEGE'rABLE HARvEsTER n Michael Evelpev, Lebanon, Parj Y Application January u1 5,:194:0,lSerial N o. 313,992

' claimsfkcl.554108)` My invention relates 'broadly to new and usev Figure 12 is a 'view similariO Fig'ure'll but ful improvements in agricultural apparatus, and showing the vjaws adapted vtofpick orv` pull-the` more particularly'to a device for harvestingor vegetables from the ground. n gathering vegetables.,k j In thejaccompanying drawings,l wherein'for`v 5 An important object of my invention is to pro the' purpose of illustration is( showna preferred 5 vide a vegetable harvesterthat is automatic in n embodiment of my invention," the numeral I0* its action to remove the desiredv portion lof, the' designates a carriage mounted upon the 4'wheels vegetable from the ground .and to deposit the Il` andprovided With spacedbars I2 pivoted to same in a suitable receptacle.4` n n y *n the' forward end I3 thereof. 'The'wheels Il per Anotherl object of my invention is' to provide mit the carriage to be easily moved frornplace-to k10 a vegetable harvester which includes 'a' clam" place, and the bars I2 proyide' meahsforfattachshell bucket adapted tov have attachments apving `the ,Carriage t0 a traCUOr, 01' the like ,(IIO" plied thereto in a manner to permit the sameto shown) '.I` A boxk like receptacle I4 'is mounted easily and expeditiously dig up theuvegetablesI on therearward end l5 0f the'arragmwhch growing under the ground, such as potatoes, receptaclebeing adapted to receive the fvege-15 beets, carrots, etc., or t'o'pick'ror pull the top tables ydepositedtherein by means 0f a 'Clamportion of vegetables from the ground, as inthe shell bucket; the construction andvcperation' ofA case of cabbageaceleiy, etc. y which isipresently to be described in detail,` 'The Still another object of my invention is the receptalaslformed With a laterally extending, u 'i provision of an agriculturalfapparatus of the Chute lfgwhiehs formed WtllV an ppen top |1220 above-mentioned character that sfadapted to wherebyi'aliy Vegetables`P1"ematlllely1 Or belatedly operate in a comparatively rapid manner` and drQppedrOithe bucket Wllbe conducted into that may be easily controlled andoperated by the reeptaele. 1 one man. Y A platform vI8 is bolted, or otherwise secured,

l Other objects and advantages of my invention, to the carriage lcentrally thereQf and` forwardly 25 will be apparent during the-course of the folof the receptacle, said platform being formed lowing description. j with verticalside wallsA -I9 and 20 andI` end` In 'the drawings, forming a part ofl this speci- Walls v2|"9fr1d l22 'Chejupper yedges of which are flcation, and wherein like numerals are `em' bridged by a cover plate 23- The COVeI' Plate 1S ployed to designate like parts throughoutthe formed With anfalbllatel'eCeSS 24"Wthn the-.3o same: j compass yof'tl'ie side walls, which recess extends Figure 1A is a front elevationeofa device em- -thrugh an afd Ofllbstantially 90?1'1'0111 Silb-v bodying my invention, and showing thebucket in Stantially the juncture 0f the rear `Wall 2l andV the lowered porstion', side wall 20 to the juncture of theside 'wallv I9 i' 35, Figure 2 is a View similar to Figure 1 but showwith the front wall 22. The peripheral edgey of' 35 ing the bucket in an elevated position, the top plate circumiacent to the-recess 24 `eX- Figure 3 is a top planevievvA of my device, tends "asubstantial'distance beyond the compass Figure y4 is a side elevation of the same, of the side walls rto provide an overhanging Figure 5is a fragmentary sectionalview, taken iiange 25, vthe under face of which is beveled in`^ 40 on the line 5-5 of Figure 4, and showing the wardly to define aguidentrack 26. I bucket releasing clamp in a releasedposition, spaced verticall supports y26', 21 and 28- are Figure 6 is a view similark to Figure 5,y and mountedonV thecarriage adjacent the side 29 showing the clamp in the bucket closing position, there `of laterally vof the platform I8, and the Figure 'l is 'a vertical sectional view, taken on drive shaft 3U is mounted for rotation Yin'horizonthe line 1-1 ofvFgure 1, l tally aligning openings in thesupports substan-r 45A Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating tially laterally but slightly above the upper surf the travel of the track engaging roller during the face of the cover'plate 23 of rthe platform. The

elevation of the bucket, l reversible ,motor 3| is mounted on the carriagel Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view vof themotor below rand rearwardly of the drive shaft and is and the switch means for controlling thesame, Connected thereto through'the medium ofthe 50 'Figure 10 is a view taken on the line IU--lof endlessr belt 32.; f 1 y Y Figure 2, 1 l- Asupporting bracket 33-is` formed with afde- Figurell is a fragmentaryperspective view pending` shank v34' which .extendsv through'the illustrating the bucket as adapted Yfor cutting, bore 35 in the ycover plate of the platform. The and Y y f f 2 shank is securelyA held within the bore by means( 55 of the washer 36 and cotter key 31 in a manner to pivotally associate the support with the platform and to permit the same to be freely movable about a vertical axis. A segmental gear 51 is connected to the support 33 by right-angularly disposed radially extending arms 58 and 59. The

n peripheral teeth of the gear are engageable with the helical worm 60 which is fixedly secured to the drive shaft 30 for rotation therewith whereby rotation of the shaft will pivotally actuate the carriage. The support includes spaced upstandlng flanges 38 and 39 between which the supporting arm 4U is pivoted intermediate its ends for movement about a horizontal axis. The end 4| of the arm at one side of the pivot normally extends a substantial distance laterally of the carriage to support the clam-shell bucket 42 fastened thereto by means of the pivoted depending link 5|.

'I'he bucket 42 is formed with hingedly connected semi-cylindrical shells 43 and 44. Each of the shells is fashioned from a plurality of spaced arcuately curved rods 45 the upper lends of which are carried by the hinge pintle 46 and the lower 28 ends thereof are connected to the cutting bars 41.. The working faces 48 Aof the bars are beveled, as illustrated in Figure 11, and provide afcutting means when it is desired to sever the tops of the vegetables from the roots, or when it is necessary 80 for the shells to dig into the ground to remove vegetables growing therein. Bands 49 connect the extremities of the cutting bars with the hinge pintle and a plurality of spaced rods 50 close the ends of the shells.

'I'he end 52 of the arm 40 extends for a substantial distance beyond the. pivot and is formed with a downwardly extending portion 53 which terminates in an inwardly disposed tip 54. The roller 55, rotatably mounted on the inwardly extending tip 54 of the arm, is adapted to pass through the radial slot 56 in the arm 59 to engage with the track 26, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 4.

'Ihe bucket operating mechanism comprises an actuating arm 6| pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the end. 4| of the supporting arm and adjacent its pivot point. The-bifurcations 62 of the arm 6| extend laterally of the supporting arm at opposite sides thereof and are fixedly connected for mutual operation by the pivot pin 12. AThe toggles 63 are pivoted to the extremities of the bifurcations and to the shells 43 and 44 of the bucket 42. The pivoted arm 64 of each toggle is connected to the shell 44 and the pivoted arm 65 thereof is connected to the shell 43,

whereby rocking of the forward bifurcated portion 62 of the arm 6| downwardly in the direction of the bucket will effect opening of the same, as illustrated in Figure 1, and, conversely, pivotal movement of the lever upwardly in a direction away from the bucket will eifect closing of the same, as illustrated in Figure 2.

The portion 66 of the arm 6| extends rearwardly of the pivot 12 and terminates in a segg5 mental gear 61 which meshes with the pinion 68 carried by the drive shaft 30 and rotatable with the worm 60. The teeth of the gear 61 are beveledas at 69 and 10 and the outer edge of the pinion 68 is beveled as at 1|. The teeth of both 10the gear and pinion are deep cut and the beveled l,edges of the same permit the gear to easily mesh with the pinion during rotation of the pinion.

The rearwardly extending portion 66 of the arm 6| is spaced laterally of the rearwardly extending end 52 of the supporting arm 40 and carries a U-shaped bracket 13 the angularly disposed ends 14 and 15 of which extend in embracing yrelation with the end 52 of the supporting arm. The adjusting screw 16 extends through the lower end 15 of the bracket and the end 52 of 5 the supporting arm to permit adjustment of the tension of the coil spring 11 interposed between the end 52 of the supporting arm and the end 14 of the bracket. The resilient action of the spring 11 normally acts to urge the rearward 1o portions 66 and 52 of the arm 6| and supporting arm 40 in a direction away from each other. 'I'he separation of the arms is limited by the engagement of the lower end 15 of the bracket with the underside of the supporting arm, and the extent 15 of separation may be finely determined by means of the screw 16. When positioned in the above manner, the forward portions 62 of the bucket operating levers will assume the position illustrated in Figure 1 to open the bucket 42. 20

The end 52 of the supporting arm carries an upstanding iiange 18 to which the catch 19 is pivotally mounted. When the bucket is open, the arm of the catch is positioned between the end portion 66 of the bucket operating arm and the 25 end 52 of the supporting arm to compress the coil spring 8| interposed between the arm 88 and and the abutment 82 formed on the supporting arm. The arm 83 of the catch is arcuately bent to extend around the supporting arm and with 80 the extremity thereof disposed a substantial distance therebelow, as clearly illustrated in Figure 5.

The motor is preferably a single phase reversing motor and the reversing switch 84 is mount- 35 ed on the wall I9 of the platform in a manner to be engaged by the bell crank lever 85 carried by the shank 34 of the supporting bracket 33. The arms of the bell crank lever contact the switch levers 86 and 81 of the reversing switch to re- 40 verse the direction of rotation of the motor during the actuation of the supporting bracket 33.

A manually operated switch 88 is mounted on the platform I8 and connected to the main lead of the motor, whereby closing of the switch will 45 start the motor and permit continuous actuation of the same until the switch is opened to break the flow of electricA current to the motor.

The operation of the device is as follows:

If it is assumed that the shovel is in the low- 50 ered open position, as illustrated in Figure 1, and that the switch 88 is closed to start the motor, the drive -screw 60 and pinion 68 will be caused to rotate and to, consequently, drive the segmental gears 51 and 61, respectively. Two. revo- 55 lutions of the power shaft 30 will cause the pinion 68 to traverse the entire length of the segmental gear 61, while the segmental gear 51 will have been simultaneously advanced a distance corresponding to the distance between two of its teeth. 60 The advancement of the segmental gear 51 by two of its teeth will move ythe segmental gear 61 to the position illustrated by the full lines in Figure 2, whereby the beveled edge 69 oi' the gear will disengage from the beveled edge 1| of 65 the pinion. As the gear 61. starts to move in a downward direction, by virtue of the rotation of the pinion 68, the bucket operating arm 6| will be pivoted about the pivot pin 12 to elevate the forward portion 62 thereof and to extend the 70 toggle 63 in a manner to close the bucketl 42.

As the arm 6| pivots about the pivot pin-12, the rearward portion 66 thereof will move toward the rearward end 52 of the supporting arm a sumcient distance to permit the resilient action 75 of the coil spring 8i to force the arm 80 ofthe catch 19 into superjacent' relation therewith..- When the lever is in' the 'above-described posi" tion, the bucket will be held closed and the-arm 6l will be prevented from having a free vindependent movement relativeto its supporting-arm. When the arm '6l is thus fixedly associated with the supporting arm segmental gear 61 by the pinion'v 68 will pivotally actuate the `supporting arm to raise the bucket toy the position illustrated in. Figure 2' and to lowerV the rearward end 52 thereof to 'move the roller 55 into engagement with the trackA 2B. of the platform.` q

Figure 8 clearly illustrates the travel or the. path taken by -the roller. By virtue of therelatively rapid'v manner mental gear 51, throller will .be moved downwardly with substantially lgreater rapidity than it will -be moved laterally whereby its resultant direction of travel will be downwardly and forwardly substantially'as defined by the lines 89 of Figure 8. The roller will be received by the radial slot 56 in the arm 59 of the-gear 51,.` and the edge r9|) of the flange 25 is `beveled, Vas at` 9|, whereby the roller may pass below the flange, and as the gear 51 -is advancedasufficient dlstance to ydise'ngage the gear 61 from the pinion 68, reverse pivotal movement of the supporting arm relative to the supporting bracket 33 will be prevented by` the advancement of theroller along the track 26 bycontinued movement of the segmental gear 51. 1

As the gear 51 is moved in the direction of the arrow in Figure 3 by the worm drive 60, thesupporting bracket 33 will be pivoted abouta vertical axis and the bucket 42 will consequently be moved through an arc of substantially 90 to overhang the receptacle I4. A.As the shovel passes over the open top of the receptacle, the depending end 83 of the catch 18 will engage the .trip vblock 92 to move the arm 80 out of engagementwith the rearwardly extending portion 66 of the bucket roperating arm. Disengagement of the lcatch from the arm will permit the resilient action of the coil spring 11 to rock the arm about the pin 12 and to lower the forward portion 62 thereofl in a manner to compress the toggle 63 and to open the bucket 42 and to cause the vegetables within the bucket to fall 'into the receptacle.

As the gear 51 reaches the extremity of its rotation and assumes the position as illustrated by the dotted lines in Figure 3, an arm of the bell crank lever 81 of the motor to reverse the rotation of the same and to reversely actuate the gear 51 to swing the bucket to its initial position laterally of the carriage. Y

As the gear 51 approaches the termination of its rotation in a reverse direction the vertically disposed segmental gear 61 will be caused to mesh with the pinion 68, and the meshing of the gear 68 with the rotating pinion will cause the forward portion 4| of the supportig'arm 40, and consequently the open bucket 42,4to be pivoted to the lowered position, as illustrated in Figure 1.`

It may thus be seen that if the device is being used to dig up vegetables such as carrots, beets, turnips, potatoes, or similar tuber-propagated vegetables, the carriage may be directed so that the beveled edges 48 of the shells 43 and 44 of the bucket will be disposed at opposite sides of the row of plants when in the lowered position.

40, furtheriactuation of the' ber caps 93 and 84 in which. the pinion .will traverse the gear 61 as'compared with the speedV of rotation of the horizontally disposedy seg tacle.A

85 will engage the switch arm` As the segmental gear 51reaches the position as illustrated by the full lines in Figure 3, an arm of the bell crank lever l5 will. engage the rswitch reversing switch to .reverse rthe arm. of the direction of rotation of the motor and to effect thev closing of the bucket whereby the beveled edges of the bars 41 will dig into the groundand remove thev tilbers. The motor is lenergized by closing the master switch 8l and, once started, the bucket will vbe automatically operated in the manner above described without further manual control. If the device isl to vbe used to pick or pull vegetables growing above the surface of the groundsuch as cabbages,'orcauliowenthe rubkmay be clamped4 over the beveled edges 4t o f the cutting bars 41, as clearly illustrated in Figure l2, whereby closing olfr the bucket will cause the caps to engage an opposite side of the vegetablevand upon elevation of 'the bucket, the vegetable will be rpulled from 'the ground and deposited in the receptacle in'the manner hereinbefore described.

it 1s w be understood that the vform of my and mounted on the carriage to swing in-avertical and a horizontal plane; a mechanism pivoted to the supporting `structure and cooperative with the bucket to open and close thesame; and an actuating means having a driving connection with the bucket operating mechanism to close the bucket and with thersupportingjstructure to swing the saine in a vertical plane to elevate the `bucketand to simultaneously swing the saidstructure horizontally to position the bucket above the'recep- 2. A harvester comprising a carriage; a receptacle mounted on the carriage; a clam-shell bucket; a supporting structure carrying the bucket and mounted on the carriage to swing in a vertical and a horizontal plane; a mechanism pivoted to the supporting structure and cooperative with the bucket to open and close the same; an actuating means having a driving rconnection with the bucket operating mechanism to close the bucket andwith the supporting structure to swing the same in a vertical plane to elevate the bucket and to simultaneously swing the same horizontally to position the bucket above the receptacle; a clamp operative upon closing of the bucket to hold the same closed; and means engageable with the said clamp to release the same and to permit opening of the bucket upon movement of the bucket to a position above the receptacle.

e 3. A harvester comprising a carriage; a receptacle mounted on the carriage; a clam-shell bucket; a supporting. structure carrying the bucket and mounted on the carriage to swing in a vertical and a horizontal plane; a mechanism pivoted to the supporting structure and cooperative with the bucket to open and close the same; a motor driven drive means cooperative with the the size; shape and arbucket closing mechanism to close the bucket and with the supporting structure to swing the same in ally to position the bucket above the receptacle; a. trip means cooperative with the bucket operating mechanism to open the bucket when the same moves to a position above the receptacle; and a reversing switch connected to the motor and adapted to be operated by parts of the said supporting structure at the extremities of its horizontal swing to reverse the direction of rotation of the motor.

4. A harvester comprising a carriage provided with an arcuate track; a power driven screw mounted on the carriage, a. circular gear rotatable with the said screw; a support pivoted to the carriage to swing about a vertical axis, said support including a segmental gear having a. driven connection with the screw; an arm pivoted to the support, said arm being adapted to swing about a horizontal axis and having one end extending beyond its pivot and engageable with the said track; a clam-shell bucket suspended from the end of the arm remote from the track engaging end; a

bucket operating mechanism rockably mounted on the arm adjacent its pivot and including a segmental gear having a driven connection with the said circular gear; and clamp means automatically operable to connect the bucket operating mechanism with the arm upon closing of the bucket, whereby rotation of the circular gear will rock the bucket operating mechanism to close the bucket and to connect the same to the said arm and to then swing the arm about its horizontal axis to elevate the bucket and to move the track engaging end of the arm into engagement with the track, said screw simultaneously acting on the segmental gear of the support to swing the same about its vertical axis and to move the second segmental gear out of engagement with the circular gear.

5. Aharvester comprising a carriage including 40 an arcuate track; a clam-shell bucket; a supporting structure carrying the bucket and mounted on the carriage to swing in a vertical and a horizontal plane, said supporting structure including a track engaging part; a mechanism pivoted to 45 the supporting structure and cooperative with the bucket to open and close the same; and an actuating means having a driving connection with the bucket operating mechanism to close the bucket and to swing the supporting structure in a vertical plane to elevate the bucket, said actuating means simultaneously coacting with the supporting structure to swing the same horizontally to move the track engaging end into engagement with the track.

6.` A harvester comprising a carriage including an arcuate track; a clam-shell bucket; a supporting structure carrying the bucket and mounted on the'carriage to swing in a vertical and a horizontal plane, said carriage including a track engaging roller; a mechanism pivoted to the supporting structure and cooperative' with the bucket to open and close the same; a motor drivenactuating means having a driving connection with the bucket operating mechanism to close the bucket and to swing the supporting structure in a vertical plane to elevate the bucket, said actuating means simultaneously coacting with the supporting structure to swing the same horizontal to move the track engaging roller into engagement with the track; and switch means connected to the motor driven actuating means and adapted to be engaged by parts of the said supporting structure at the extremities of its horizontal swing to reverse the direction of rotation of the said motor.

7. A harvester comprising a carriage; a clamshell bucket; a supporting structure carrying the bucket and mounted on the carriage to swing in a vertical and a horizontal plane; a mechanism pivoted to the supporting structure and cooperative with the bucket to open and close the same; spring means to normally hold the bucket in an open position; and an actuating means having a driving connection with the bucket operating mechanism to close the bucket against the resilient action of the spring means and to swing the supporting structure in a vertical plane to elevate the bucket, said means being connected with the supporting structure to simultaneously swing the same horizontally.

MICHAEL E VELEV. 

